by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding SWCC retention and graduation rates. First year retention rates let you know how many first-time, full-time students students come back for their second year. Graduation rates tell you how many students complete their degree and how long it takes.
The freshmen retention rate applies to first-time / full-time students who come back for their second year.
With 66% students making it past their freshmen year, SWCC has freshmen retention rates similar to the national average.
Nationwide, the average first to second year retention rate is 70.57%.
When looking at just colleges and universities in Iowa, the average is 68.94%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| SWCC | 66% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Iowa | 68.94% |
There were approximately 214 students in the class of 2015. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?
After four years 40% of the cohort graduated. After six years 35% had completed their degree, and 35% after eight years.
The official graduation rate of SWCC is 35%. This is the percentage of students who completed their degree within 150% of the published time. That means six years for a standard bachelor's degree program.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 207 | 34% |
| Six Years | 214 | 35% |
| Eight Years | 3 | 0% |
| Did Not Complete | 395 | 65% |
Approximately 395 students or 65% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 395 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
177 transferred to another institution.
SWCC lost contact with the remaining 214 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 177 | 44.8% |
| Dropped Out | 214 | 54.2% |
First-time, full-time students under the age of 25 are much more likely to graduate in four years. Some schools cater to mostly traditional students while others cater to 'non-traditional' students. So called 'non-traditional' students include part-time students or those who may be returning after an absense. It is common for part-time and/or adult students to take longer to graduate.
Traditional Students:
First-time, full-time students under the age of 25.
Non-Traditional Students:
Any student that is not first-time, full-time, and under the age of 25.
The majority of students at SWCC are considered 'traditional students' who are first-time attending full-time.
Examining the graduation rates of the specific cohorts shown below may be more revealing than looking at the overall graduaton rates.
First-time / full-time students at Southwestern Community College represent 56% of the students in the class of 2015, and 65.89% of SWCC bachelor's degree graduations.
With a four-year graduation rate of 40%, first-time students in the SWCC class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were more likely than average to graduate on time.
After six years, the SWCC graduation rate was 41%, and by the eight year mark, 42% of the cohort had completed their degree.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for first-time undergraduates attending classes full-time is 37.92% after four years, 46.43% after six years, and 47.82% after eight years.
| First-Time / Full-Time Completions | SWCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 40% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 41% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 42% | 47.82% |
198 first-time / full-time students or 58% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
80 transferred to another institution.
SWCC lost contact with the remaining 116 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Full-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 80 | 40.40% |
| Dropped Out | 116 | 58.59% |
First-time / part-time students at Southwestern Community College represent 9.30% of the students in the class of 2015.
With a six-year graduation rate of 18%, first-time, part-time students in the SWCC class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were less likely than average to graduate on time.
After eight years, the graduation rate was 19%.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for first-time undergraduates attending classes part-time is: 14.37% after four years, 21.59% after six years, 23.72% after eight years.
| First-Time / Part-Time Completions | SWCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 14% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 18% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 19% | 23.72% |
46 first-time / part-time students or 81% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
11 transferred to another institution.
SWCC lost contact with the remaining 34 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 2.17% |
| Transferred | 11 | 23.91% |
| Dropped Out | 34 | 73.91% |
143 SWCC students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 23.33% of the students in the class of 2015.
Non first-time students could include transfer students or adults who have returned to school after an absense.
With a six year graduation rate of 31%, returning students in the class of 2015 and attended classes full-time had a graduation rate lower than the national average for students in this category.
After eight years, the graduation rate was 31%.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for non first-time undergraduates attending classes full-time is: 49.57% after four years, 53.83% after six years, and 55.07% after eight years.
| Returning / Full-Time Completions | SWCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 31% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 31% | 55.07% |
98 non first-time / part-time students or 69% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
57 transferred to another institution.
SWCC lost contact with the remaining 41 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 57 | 58.16% |
| Dropped Out | 41 | 41.84% |
71 SWCC students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 11.58% of the students in the class of 2015.
With a six year graduation rate of 25%, returning students in the class of 2015 and attended classes full-time had a graduation rate lower than the national average.
After eight years, the graduation rate was 25%.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for non first-time undergraduates attending classes part-time is: 36.03% after six years, 36.03% after eight years.
| Returning / Part-Time Completions | SWCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 25% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 25% | 37.80% |
53 non first-time / part-time students or 75% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
29 transferred to another institution.
SWCC lost contact with the remaining 23 who we assumed dropped out.
| Returning / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 1.89% |
| Transferred | 29 | 54.72% |
| Dropped Out | 23 | 43.40% |
